curious about japan ho scale

[marknewton]

Brass, plastic or mixed media (brass/plastic or cast metal/plastic or cast metal/brass) NSWGR locos?

Mixed media, either RTR in cast metal/plastic or kits in cast white metal/brass. Eureka and Trainorama make RTR steam locos, while AR Kits market the DJH kits. If I were to model the steam-era NSWGR, I'd probably choose the DJH kits, as Eureka and Trainorama models both have problems that would put me off buying either.

 

I'm not interested in brass NSWGR locos, as they are ridiculously overpriced and seldom run well.

 

I've looked into Rakuten (Tenshodo has a store there) and both locos you've quoted are on the "low end" of the price range. The moment you decide to plunk for a C62 or D51...

 

Agreed, but I'm immune to the C62s "charms", so I don't care how much they cost.   :) 

 

D51s are another story. In an ideal world Kato would do another run of their D51 models, and I'd buy a fistful of the things...

 

(I could kick myself, a few years back before I was interested in Japanese railways I was offered a KTM brass D51 at a very good price. But like a fool I said no.   )

 

The Tramway C12 is altogether another story. I smell Sanda Kan or Kader behind it...

 

I hadn't really given any thought about who was building the things, but if you're right they should be very nice little locos.

 

All the best,

 

Mark

[marknewton]

Mark - it was actually me who was into HO - I guess I copied it the wrong way and it appeared to be Nick.  It's interesting that there's so few of us here into HO which in Japanese 1/80 scale is so beautiful!

 

Sorry John, I didn't mean to exclude you either. My apologies to you as well! 

 

It's interesting to me to see that there are at least 4 HO scale modellers here, in what is ostensibly an N scale forum. As you say, 1/80th scale is beautiful.

 

All the best,

 

Mark.

[marknewton]

That Kato DE10 is very nice...I have two of these locos.

 

Make that 5 HO scalers.

 

The older liveried example (it is more advanced than the state shown in the photo) is slowly having the detailing parts being added - also known in the trade as "pingfuckits"...

 

LOLOLOLOL!  :)

 

When I'm applying the detail parts I use some very fine surgical tweezers that have serrated tips, so the bits don't tend to fly off to parts unknown. I also have two aprons my wife made for me, that catch errant parts before they hit the floor. One is white, for use with dark-coloured parts, the other is black.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[marknewton]

Claude, so Kato's DE10's don't come with the detailing?! Or is it just that you have to apply them yourself?

 

The DE10s come with an extensive detail pack that you have to apply yourself, as do all their HO models. The same applies to other HO scale makers as well. My new Tomix ED79 has an amazing number of add-on parts, and some holes do need to be drilled. But that shouldn't put you off, they are beautiful models.

 

Drilling small diameter holes is easy with a pin-vice or Archimedean drill, some number drill bits, a steady hand and a bit of patience.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.

[Densha]

Drilling small diameter holes is easy with a pin-vice or Archimedean drill, some number drill bits, a steady hand and a bit of patience.

I don't have any of those. :P

 

Some Kato H0 freight cars with a DE10 are very tempting though, they are very cheap if you look at the quality. Kato's Japanese H0 is about the price level Piko has, but Tomix prices can be compared with the more expensive brands like Fleischmann.

But still I'm not going H0, it was only when I started collecting Japanese N gauge that I stopped with my (very limited) European H0 stuff and there are many reasons for not picking up something I won't be using much.

[marknewton]

I don't have any of those. :P

 

Fair enough! I have to admit there are times I don't have much patience either. Mainly when I'm squinting through a magnifier drilling closely-spaced holes with a number 80 drill bit!  

 

Some Kato H0 freight cars with a DE10 are very tempting though, they are very cheap if you look at the quality. 

 

You're not wrong. I picked up another DE10 last week for AUD $100, which I think is excellent value for what is a superb little model. 

 

Cheers,

 

Mark.